6: Chapter 6: Finding Bargains on Golden Street (Part 1)

At Dubai International Airport, a plane from Shenzhen landed slowly.

Li Xin walked out of the cabin leisurely, carrying an old backpack, dressed like a tourist.

As soon as he stepped out of the arrival hall, the air hit him in waves like a heatwave.

It was stifling and scorching, making even breathing feel parched. The sunlight was blinding, and as it beat down on his skin, it burned with a stinging pain, as if pricked by needles.

He pulled out his phone to check; the outdoor temperature was 42 degrees.

Li Xin cursed inwardly, "Damn it... This hellish weather is clearly making it impossible for anyone to have a good time."

He quickened his pace toward the taxi stand, scanning the people around him from the corner of his eye to see if anyone was paying attention to him.

It turned out he was overthinking.

The 8.7 kilograms of gold in his space lay quietly as ever; the security scanners couldn't detect it, allowing him to pass through easily.

The heart in his throat finally settled. No one knew he had 8.7 kilograms of gold on him; it was a strange feeling.

"Sir, taxi?" A local man in a white robe quickly approached him. His English carried a heavy accent, pulling Li Xin back to reality.

"To the Gold Souk. How much?"

"By the meter, about fifty dirhams."

Li Xin replied in Arabic, "Don't take the long way around; I know the route."

The man was visibly stunned. He looked Li Xin up and down and smiled, "You are Chinese? Your Arabic is excellent."

"Self-taught."

"Get in. I won't take the long way."

The taxi drove out of the airport and onto the highway.

Li Xin leaned against the car window, pulled out his phone, and sent a message to Luo Maifa: "I've arrived."

Luo Maifa replied instantly: "Damn, you really went? Is it hot there?"

"Hot. Over forty degrees."

"How can you stand it?"

"Just toughing it out. It's like carrying air conditioning with me wherever I go." Li Xin smiled and typed, "Tell Yang Hong and Qiang Zi that I'll treat them to a meal when I get back in a few days."

"Alright. When are you coming back?"

"In two or three days."

"Stay safe, and don't get scammed."

"Got it."

Li Xin put his phone in his pocket and looked out the window.

Dubai's skyline shimmered in the sunlight—the Burj Khalifa pierced the sky like a silver needle, and the Burj Al Arab loomed faintly on the distant sea.

This city was exactly the same as what he had seen on TV in his previous life, but being here in person felt completely different.

Hot, noisy, and crowded.

There was scaffolding and tower cranes everywhere; the city was still growing crazily.

The car drove for about half an hour and stopped in front of an ancient street.

Li Xin paid the fare and got out.

The Dubai Gold Souk.

A huge golden arch stood at the entrance, with "Gold Souk" written on it in both Arabic and English.

Looking inside, the street wasn't wide, and the shops on both sides were packed tightly together. The golden displays in the windows were so bright they made one's eyes ache under the lights.

The air was filled with a mixture of spices and metal, along with the bitter, fragrant scent of Arabic coffee drifting from the cafes.

Li Xin stood at the entrance, not rushing in.

He sat down on a public bench, took out his phone, and started scrolling through short videos, but in his heart, he silently recited: "System, Scan surroundings."

[Scanning...]

A realistic 3D map instantly unfolded in his mind.

The diverse terrain, varied architectural styles, and complex underground structures within a 50-meter radius were all clearly visible.

There were dense red dots, most of them inside the jewelry store counters—those were gold ornaments for sale, which he couldn't touch.

However, a few dots were not in the counters; they were underground, in cracks in the walls, and even in the sewers.

His heart couldn't help but race.

[Ding, discovered an ownerless small gold lock, weighing 500g, located about 35 meters to the front right, approximately 2 meters underground. Can be collected.]

35 meters away, two meters underground, a small gold lock.

Li Xin put his phone in his pocket and walked slowly in that direction, pretending to be nonchalant.

After passing a few street-facing shops, he turned into a narrow alley.

The alley contained a few smelly green trash cans. Although the ground was paved with bluestone, the cracks were stuffed with cigarette butts and sand, looking filthy and messy.

Reaching the spot, he squatted down, pretending to tie his shoelaces, and placed his hand on the ground.

The sun had baked the floor until it was hot, and it felt rough to the touch.

"Collect."

[Collection successful. Obtained gold: 500g. Accumulated refining: 9.2kg.]

He stood up, clapped his hands, and turned to walk out of the alley casually.

No one noticed him.

He continued walking along the main street at a moderate pace, his gaze occasionally sweeping over the windows on both sides, just like an ordinary tourist.

But in his mind, he was constantly watching the system map.

After walking less than fifty meters, the system rang again.

[Ding, discovered an ownerless gold necklace, weighing 200g, located about 40 meters to the front left, in the sand. Can be collected.]

40 meters away, a gold necklace was buried in the sand.

Li Xin quickened his pace.

That location was on the perimeter of a construction site, with sand and gravel piled on the ground, and a yellow excavator parked nearby.

Beside it, an Indian laborer in orange work clothes was sitting in the shade drinking water.

Li Xin walked to the sand pile, squatted down, and pretended to look at the stones on the ground.

He placed his hand on the sand.

"Collect."

[Collection successful. Obtained gold: 200g. Accumulated: 9.4kg.]

Just as he stood up, a voice with broken, curry-accented English came from behind: "Hey, what are you doing?"

Li Xin turned around nonchalantly.

He saw it was indeed that Indian laborer, holding a large water cup, looking at Li Xin with suspicion.

"Just looking to see if there are any nice stones." Li Xin smiled and replied in English, "I'm a tourist, I like collecting stones."

The laborer looked at the pile of sand, then at him, clearly somewhat unconvinced, and shook his head: "There are no nice stones here. It's all construction waste. You should leave quickly, it's dangerous here."

"Alright, thanks." Li Xin waved his hand and continued walking forward.

He turned into another alley, confirmed no one was following, and leaned against the wall, letting out a long breath.

His heart was pounding, but his face showed no expression.

The "Mastery of Disguise" skill given by the system allowed him to control his micro-expressions perfectly; his natural gaze and sincere smile while speaking just now were flawless.

He continued walking.

There were more and more tourists on the main street. A group of Chinese aunties holding selfie sticks were taking photos in front of a jewelry store, and the tour guide was waving a small flag in front, shouting: "Everyone, stay close! Don't get separated!"

Li Xin passed by them and walked into a jewelry store.

He wasn't there to sell gold, but mainly to ask about the market.

The store had air conditioning on, and the cool air rushed to meet him, making it feel like a different world compared to the scorching heat outside.

The counters were filled with gleaming gold jewelry, and a slightly chubby Indian boss was sitting behind the counter drinking tea, his round face wearing the enthusiastic smile typical of a businessman.

"Sir, what would you like to buy? A ring? A necklace? We have many styles here." The boss greeted him in fluent English.

"I'm just looking for now." Li Xin bent down, his gaze sweeping over the counter, "Boss, do you buy gold here?"

The smile on the boss's face paused slightly, then instantly returned to normal: "Yes. Do you have gold to sell?"

"Yes. Gold bars."

The boss put down his teacup and subconsciously leaned forward: "What is the purity?"

"Pure gold, 9999."

"How much?" the boss pressed, the joy in his tone intensifying a bit more.

Li Xin didn't tell the truth, replying calmly: "A few kilograms."

The boss's fingers tapped lightly on the counter, a flash of shrewdness and eagerness crossing his eyes, and he spoke slowly: "Can you show it to me?"

"I don't have it on me today. Maybe tomorrow."

The boss opened a drawer, took out a gold-stamped business card, and handed it over with both hands: "My name is Mr. Hassan. Just come to the shop and find me tomorrow; I am in the shop all day..."

"Alright." Li Xin took the business card, glanced at it, and put it in his pocket.

He walked out of the store and visited several other jewelry stores in succession, chatting with different bosses.

He figured out the current gold market.

The current international gold price is around 40 USD per gram. Dubai doesn't check the source; whether you want cash or a bank transfer, it's all fine. It's very convenient.

Dubai really is a paradise for cashing out gold.

However, he wasn't selling gold today; his main purpose was to scavenge, to experience the thrill of secretly finding treasures.

Li Xin walked out of the last jewelry store and checked his phone; it was 2:00 PM.

The sun was fierce, and there were fewer people on the street; most tourists had ducked into air-conditioned shops or returned to their hotels.

This was the perfect time for him to take action.

Li Xin turned into a relatively quiet small street; most of the shops here sold spices and textiles, and very few tourists came here.

He found a spot in the shade, leaned against the wall, and played on his phone while silently reciting in his heart.

"System, continue scanning."

[Scanning...]

[Ding, discovered some ownerless gold jewelry (gold earrings and pendants), weighing 300g, located about 45 meters ahead, inside a trash can. Can be collected.]

A trash can?

Li Xin frowned slightly, but didn't hesitate.

He walked to the trash can, which was a green bin with a half-open lid, lined with a black garbage bag.

Flies and mosquitoes were flying around chaotically, and a sour, foul smell drifted out from time to time.

Li Xin didn't rummage through the trash can. He just pressed his hand against the outer wall of the bin. In his heart, he recited: "Collect."

[Collection successful. Obtained gold: 300g. Accumulated: 9.7kg.]

A small vendor at the corner saw him, curiously poked his head out, and asked in Arabic: "What are you looking for?"

Li Xin turned his head, smiled, and casually made up an excuse to brush him off: "Just seeing if there are any empty bottles. Saving up some pocket money."

The vendor shook his head and muttered in Arabic: "Chinese people also pick up trash?", then shrank back.

Li Xin ignored him and continued walking forward.